The Osun State Government has called for calm and reconciliation across the state, warning that any attempt to disrupt public peace in the aftermath of the recent election will not be tolerated.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, extended condolences to victims of pre-election tensions and violence, stressing that the state must now focus on healing rather than a return to conflict.
The statement acknowledged disruptions that occurred in some parts of the state immediately after the election and urged residents to embrace the restoration of peaceful coexistence and rule-based interaction across all sectors of society.
The government said it was particularly troubled by reports that some stakeholders were planning to spark fresh crises in local government councils and motor parks across the state.
“This plan, if true, should stop immediately in the interest of public peace. Osun needs peace for development, not violence in politics,” the statement read.
It noted that the outcome of the Osun election had already been decided, adding that the President and the Governor had since engaged in discussions on a peaceful way forward. “Any push towards violence represents an affront on the Presidency and the Nigerian constitution,” the government said.
The statement also called on security agencies to help restore the rule of law by releasing political detainees and putting an end to what it described as perceived partisan policing, particularly around local government administration and motor park management.
“We call on all political actors to speak and act peacefully. Osun should be in a period of healing and building. We must not allow a relapse into the pre-election era of killings and violence,” the statement added.
